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In order to ensure that our children can one day wrest societal power from their elders, we will have to keep them safe while they are small, feeble and jobless. One of the dangers our naive, driver's licenseless kids face is ultraviolet radiation. The ozone layer used to protect kids from these dangerous rays, but that layer has been seriously injured by CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances.
From the EPA:
Scientists predict that ozone depletion should peak between 2000 and 2010. As world wide controls reduce the release of CFCs and other ozone-eating substances, nature will repair the ozone layer to 1979-1980 levels around 2065. Until then, we can expect higher levels of UV radiation at the Earth's surface. Higher UV levels can lead to a greater risk of too much UV radiation and bad health effects.
As you can see, we may be living in a peak ozone depletion era. Severe childhood sunburns have been linked to increased rates of melanoma. It is very important to keep your children safe from the sun. The World Health Organization makes these recommendations:
